Stay Safe
by BlackBird223
Summary: *Character Death* With Corypheus defeated and the battle won, hopes are high. That is until the true outcome is revealed. Lavellan/Cullen. One shot.


Well here have some sadness folks.

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

* * *

It was like an outer body experience. It was like everything was happening to a different person but it wasn't. It was happening to her. She had tried her hardest but it just looks like that wouldn't be enough this time around. "I'm sorry Cullen." She breathed out as she hit the ground. She promised that they would have a life together. She promised him that she would stay safe, that she would come home. She saw Varric and Cassandra running towards her and then everything blacked.

* * *

Cullen met up with Josephine and Leliana as they made their way to the where Fenera had done the final battle with Corypheus. He laughed. "She did it, I can't believe it!"

Leliana nodded her head. "I- I never thought it possible but here we are."

Josie nodded in agreement. "Nor I. However, if it would be anyone I knew that it would be Fenera, she is strong and resourceful."

Leliana nudged Cullen. "So your victory feast shall be _very _different than ours, non?"

He pushed her away and laughed as they all arrived at the scene. What greeted them was unexpected. Varric was sitting on the stone stairs, head hung and hands clasped together. Cassandra stood rigid against the wall, it seems that they had been waiting for them. Cullen was washed with a sense of uneasiness. Cassandra stood and walked down to them. He could see now that she was closer that there were tear stained down her dirty face and that some still threatened to spill from her eyes. "I-.." She started but then stopped holding her hand to her mouth and slamming her eyes shut. She let out a gasp and sat down.

Varric stood and walked over, placing a hand on her back tentatively. "The… Inquisitor." He stopped. "Fenera didn't make it."

Josephine let out a gasp. Leliana shook her head. "_What?"_

And it was with those four words that Cullen's world came to a grinding halt. "What?" Was all he could make out.

Cassandra let out a sob. "I'm so sorry Cullen we- we tried to help but nothing we did worked. She was fine for one minute but then let out a scream and the Anchor started to die out. We saw her fall to the ground and…" She stopped. "_It was like a terrible dream." _She whispered.

Cullen stepped back and chanted. "Nonononononono. _Noo_." He put his hand to his face and felt tears start to fall from his eyes.

The rest of the party that usually travelled with _her _made their way to them, he could hear the joy that he had felt only moments before surround them.

Immediately when they arrived Vivienne spoke looking at the group. "What is going on?"

No one looked like they could answer but it was Cole that gave the answer. "The light- it is gone, in more ways than one. She who accepted me, that allowed me to stay… has gone away." He shook his head. "'_She was my everything- now I have nothing.' _She _died_. No if I had been here then I could have helped her. There is too much pain. But this time, I feel this hurt too."

The people in the group looked at Cole in alarm and Dorian turned to them. "Fen-Fenera is _dead?_" Varric nodded his head and slowly one by one everyone in the group came to the realization that the Inquisitor was gone. Dead.

Cullen couldn't take it anymore he needed to _see _her. "_Where is she?"_ He let out.

Varric pointed put the stairs and Cullen bounded up them two steps at a time. He reached the top and what he saw shattered him. There she was, the woman that he had loved more than anything else in the world, the light of his life, was gone. Cullen slowly made his way to her and crumpled to the ground before her. He could hear some gasps and sobs come from some people behind but he didn't care.

He looked at her lifeless body and took her into his arms, whispering no over and over, cradling her head against him and rocking back and forth. "I'm so sorry my love, I should have been here. I should have been _here._" Cullen looked down into her face. It wasn't right. She should be _smiling_.

She usually wore this fed up look on her face but whenever he was around she _smiled_. It was like he lit up her world and she, his. He wiped the blood from her face and pushed her hair back. "I'm here. I love you, you can smile for me like you always do."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to Josephine, tears running down her face. She didn't say a word. Just looked at him and he at her. She knelt and put her head on her hand and knelt in silence.

She liked to laugh with Josephine because Josephine always knew what to say. That, did not change.

* * *

Weeks passed and Cullen became reclusive. He barely left his office and eventually Cassandra had to find someone to take over his role.

Those that had stayed after the Inquisitors funeral were startled by Josephine as she came running into the room. "Something's wrong with Cullen!" They all ran to his office, which was locked. Cassandra felt there was no need for care, they could always buy another door and found Cullen on the ground. They ran over and Leliana checked his pulse and gasped.

"He's… _he's dead._" Everyone was sad, but… not surprised. Cullen had quickly spiralled downward ever since they had found out the Inquisitor was dead.

Josephine broke the silence. "He… left a note."

* * *

_Everyone,_

_I know that I inconvenienced you all in_

_ these past few months and that is what I regret most._

_This- this is not a suicide, she would never have wanted that._

_No, the effects of lyrium withdrawal have just finally caught up to me._

_She was the only one that kept me going and she's gone._

_It was only inevitable for this to happen._

_I'm sorry that I troubled you all. _

_Stay safe,_

_Cullen Stanton Rutherford._

* * *

I am a sad person.


End file.
